Authors often have to pay article processing charges (APCs) to publish their scientific research in OA journals. This excludes researchers who cannot afford these fees from the scientific debate. To keep the scientific discourse open, fair and equal, KOALA – Konsortiale Open-Access-Lösungen aufbauen (Building syndicated open access solutions) offers a model for collaborative funding. In the "pledging" – in the funding request – libraries, research institutions, foundations, companies and individuals can agree until 1 July 2023 to ensure the sustainable existence of seven OA journals in the subjects of quantum physics, mathematics and computer science with a financial contribution.
How does the collaborative funding work?
In the KOALA programme, participants can contribute to the funding of the journals or journal bundles KOALA Mathematics and Computer Science 2024-2026 and KOALA Quantum 2024-2026. The prices for the individual bundles are determined on the basis of the financial needs of the journals and journal series that they report to KOALA for the sustainable operation of their publication. For each bundle there is a tiering system, to which participating supporters can assign themselves according to their size. The journals and publication series then receive funding from the KOALA consortium over three years. If the specified number of supporters is reached, they contribute according to their size and the volume of the bundled publications. Before the end of the three-year period, a new "pledging phase" will be launched to finance the journals and publication series for another three years. If there are not enough supporters, KOALA will not fund the journals.
- More information about the journals and how you can support them in the KOALA model can be found here: https://projects.tib.eu/koala/en/support/
- For the original KOALA announcement, please click on the following link: https://blogs.tib.eu/wp/tib/2023/06/01/funding-round-for-open-access-in-physics-mathematics-and-computer-science-underway/